Justice
by Sakura-Blessing
Summary: Mai Takashi cares for both Light and L. She also has a Death Note of her own. The most dangerous game of cat and mouse can only end in betrayal. Whose name will be the last written in the Death Note? LxOC
1. Chapter 1

**JUSTICE  
**

Summary: Mai Takashi cares for both Light and L. She also has a Death Note of her own. The most dangerous game of cat and mouse can only end in betrayal. Whose name will be the last written in the Death Note?

Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Death Note.

But I_ do_ own Mai Takashi and her family and Taki and his stupid goons and the Shinigami Grim. You'll meet Grim later. He'll be fun, I promise. :)

* * *

So anyways! Hello! And thanks for stopping by to read "Justice" :)  
This is my first Death Note story, so go easy on me! Haha. Just kidding there. Reviews are always welcome.

Before I begin, I just want to say that I'm sorry in advance because this chapter doesn't have ANY characters you're familiar with, but I think it's necessary to set up the story.

Have no fear though! Our favorite detective will be in the next chapter!

Enjoy!

PS. Mai is 8 years old in this chapter.

* * *

**Chapter 1**

"Mai? Come downstairs, honey. Dinner is almost ready."

Lynn Takashi wiped her hands on her apron as she walked back into the kitchen and began moving food into the adjoining dining room. She arranged the plates neatly, topping the table off with a small vase of flowers before poking her head out into the foyer.

"Mai, I won't tell you again!"

Catching a glance at her reflection in the mirror hanging on the opposite wall, Lynn sighed and quickly brushed back the stray hair that fell wildly around her face. Satisfied, she marched to the foot of the stairs, hands on her hips.

Her daughter could get so distracted at times. Just as she was about to yell up to Mai again, the front door opened and Ken Takashi stepped inside. Lynn smiled, welcoming her husband home from a long day at work.

"Perfect timing, dear! I just set dinner on the table. Now if only Mai would -"

"Dad!"

Mai nearly flew down the stairs and into her father's arms. Ken caught her easily, spinning her around once and setting her back down gently. Lynn smiled, shaking her head slightly as she led her family into the dining room. They settled down in their usual seats and began eating.

"So how was your day, dear?" Lynn asked her husband, scooping another spoonful of vegetables on her daughter's plate. Mai frowned, stabbing the carrots roughly before shoving them in her mouth and reluctantly swallowing the horrible orange sticks.

"Well we finally caught our original suspect that managed to slip away last week," Ken announced proudly. "And with the new evidence the team gathered, it looks like he'll be put away for a very long time."

Lynn smiled. "That's good to hear, honey!"

Ken nodded, turning towards Mai who was still maiming her helpless vegetables. He held back a laugh. "How was school today, Mai? Did you learn anything new?"

Mai's head jerked up as she thrust a folded piece of paper in front of her parents. "Here, I drew another picture for you" she said softly, hope shimmering in her dark brown eyes.

Ken cast a worried glance to his wife. Lynn moved to stand next to her husband as he unfolded the paper to reveal Mai's drawing. Lynn gasped softly and Ken only hung his head, clearly disappointed.

"Mom? Dad? Don't you like my drawing?" Mai asked quietly, fearful that she already knew what their answer would be but figured she'd ask anyways. Who knows, maybe they would change their minds this time. She fidgeted with the hem of her shirt, anxious. When she didn't receive an answer from her parents, she slouched down in her chair, pouting as she asked again.

"Mom…?"

Lynn sighed, unsure how to answer her daughter. Ken rested a hand on his wife's shoulder and cleared his throat.

"Mai, honey. I know you like to draw and your mother and I think you're very good. But sweetie, what you've been drawing lately has your mother and I scared."

Mai tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

He sighed, spreading out the paper on the table and pointing to the skeletal figure that consumed it from edge to edge. The monster had a wicked grin on its face and it hunched over itself, its body contorted and twisted. Black wings were drawn coming from its back and its eyes glowed an eerie red.

It looked like death and terrified Mai's parents to no end.

Mai ran her hand over her drawing before looking up to meet her mother's worried stare. Lynn shook her head at her daughter, sighing. "Why do you draw such things, Mai?"

Mai retracted her hand from the paper and folded it with her other in her lap, casting her gaze down. She took a breath and closed her eyes, seeing only the monster's face in her mind. Shuddering, she finally opened her mouth to speak…

BOOM

Ken and Lynn flew forward, tumbling over the table and landing on the floor with a loud _thud_. Mai fell back out of her chair, screaming as she slammed roughly against the wall. Smoke rapidly began to fill the room, obscuring their vision and making it difficult to breathe.

Ken pulled Lynn and Mai to their feet, shoving them towards the stairs as he shouted, "Go, get out of here! Whatever you do, don't look back! GO!"

He coughed, the smoke quickly filling up his lungs. He watched as his wife and daughter hurried out of the room and disappeared up the stairs before turning around. He stumbled forward, catching his breath as he whipped out his cell phone and called the police.

"Yes, hello? This is Ken Takashi, something is going on at my house! I think a bomb may have gone off, my address is -!"

Ken gasped, grunting as he felt his body go numb before collapsing to the floor. Blood trickled down the back of his head and neck, soaking through his shirt and collecting in a small puddle around him.

He felt his vision begin to blur as he struggled to sit up, his head spinning. Gasping for air, he craned his neck up to see a group of men surrounding him. He coughed, spewing blood but persisted to ask, "Who…Why…?"

A man stepped forward holding a metal baseball bat. The man smirked, letting his weapon hover to the side of Ken's head before he pulled it back to swing.

"You shouldn't have arrested that man today."

(_*** *** ***_)

Lynn pulled Mai into her room, slamming the door behind them and flipping the lock. Frantic, she fell to her knees and grasped her daughter by the shoulders.

"Mai, listen to me. I need you to hide under the bed, okay? Whatever you hear, whatever you see, just _stay_ _under the bed_." She shook Mai gently. "Honey, do you understand? Stay under the bed. Can you do that for me?"

Mai only nodded, tears filling her eyes. Lynn pulled her in for a quick hug before shoving her under the bed and pulling the bed skirt down to the floor. Almost as soon as she stood to face the door, it flew open and slammed into the wall, nearly falling off its hinges.

Lynn screamed and dodged one of the men as they all attempted to grab her. She ran for the window, struggling with the lock before one of the men pulled her back roughly by her hair.

"No! Stop!" she yelled, horror in her eyes as the man holding the baseball bat, which was now dripping blood, stepped up to her. The men around her snickered and held her arms behind her so she couldn't escape.

The man with the bat just smiled, titling his head to one side as if observing every detail of Lynn's face. He licked his lips.

"You know guys, maybe we should have some fun with this one first," he said coldly.

Another one of the men sighed, clearly annoyed. "Come on, Taki. You know we don't have time for that. You heard that guy downstairs on the phone with the police. They'll be here any minute. Let's just kill the bitch and torch the place before they get here."

Taki narrowed his eyes, contemplating the situation. His decision was easily made for him, however, when the echo of sirens rang out in the distance. He smirked, shrugging as he raised the bat above his head.

Lynn gasped, struggling against her captors. "Please!" she begged, attempting to free herself from their grip but to no avail.

Taki only continued smiling as he brought his bat down, swinging hard and ruthlessly. As the sirens drew closer, Taki and the other men dropped their weapons and disappeared, leaving a young girl staring in horror at the scene of her mother's brutal death.

Mai's mouth hung open, her eyes wide and tearful. She gasped softly, soon finding it hard to breathe. Sniffing the air, she coughed and quickly covered her mouth. A darker smoke than before snaked into the room, followed closely by a building fire.

Mai panicked, bolting from under the bed. She scanned the room quickly for an exit, noticing the window latch was now open. Frantic, she struggled across the blood stained floor and jerked the window open. She could feel the fire growing closer as she climbed out onto the roof.

Tears streaming down her face, Mai forced herself not to look back at the bloody scene behind her as she attempted to slide down the roof to where she could jump. Just as she reached the edge, her foot slipped and she fell, her screams muffled by the sirens that were now beginning to surround her house.

She landed hard but didn't bother to process the damage that was done. She jumped to her feet and ran, tripping over herself and falling again, skidding across the pavement roughly. Mai struggled to pull herself up, fresh tears spilling over her eyes.

Looking around for help, she managed to pull herself to her knees as she continued her desperate search for anyone, _anything_ that could help her. She scanned the area, breathing heavy as adrenaline pumped through her veins.

Just as she was about to give up, Mai gasped and froze, her eyes staring straight up into the darkening sky. She watched as it fell, floating gently to the ground. It hit the pavement softly only a few feet away from her.

Mai willed her body to move as she crawled forward, her hand reaching out. She was almost there, just a few more feet…

The sirens were loud, and she could hear the shouts of police surrounding her burning home. People all around her were screaming, but for some reason she suddenly didn't care anymore.

Mai gritted her teeth, reaching out further. Almost there…

Her house was collapsing, the world and life she once knew was disappearing. Mai couldn't comprehend any of it. She was tired, confused and scared.

Only a few more inches...

She gripped the notebook tightly, sliding it back across the dirt and into her aching embrace. She closed her eyes and let out a sigh. When she finally opened them, she gasped, screaming as the monster from her dreams closed in on her.

And then everything was black.

* * *

So that was Chapter 1! Hopefully it wasn't too dreadful?

Again, I needed to share Mai's background and what she's about before throwing her in with all the other characters. And yes, Mai now has a Death Note. But she doesn't know it yet. She's smart but she's young. Haha. :)

I'm thinking for the next chapter Mai will still be 8 years old, but then starting with Chapter 3 there will be a 10 year time skip and she'll be 18. That's my plan as of now anyways.

And for this story, I will try to update once a week. Hopefully I can get onto some sort of schedule and update every Friday or something. We'll see what happens!

And as for the romantic pairing… Because what's a good story without romance? :p  
Hmm. Should I make Mai fall for L or for Light? (I already know who she's going to fall for, but what do _you_ think?)

Reviews are always welcome!


	2. Chapter 2

**JUSTICE  
**

Welcome to Chapter 2!  
I think I'm officially on schedule now with my updates. From now on, I will try to update every Friday. :)

This chapter is like the first in a sense that I'm still setting up the overall story. Here you'll find more background on Mai's past and how she meets L. She's basically my main character, so I need to give her the spotlight. Haha.

I originally planned a 10 year time skip to start off Chapter 3, but I think that's going to have to be put on hold until Chapter 4. That said, Chapter 3 will be the final background chapter of this story. Chapter 4 is where the real fun will begin with all our favorite DN characters. :)

Also, I plan on making future chapters longer than these have been. Like I said, these are basically just for background but they're necessary.

Ages for Chapter 2:

Mai – 8 years old  
L – 15 years old

Enjoy!

Oh. And I do not own Death Note. :(

* * *

**Chapter 2**

_Mai felt like she was falling. _

_Her heart was pounding frantically, matching the uneven contraction of her lungs as she gasped for air. Everything around her was turning dark, the only glimmer of light reflecting off the notebook that she grasped tightly in her shaking hands._

_She looked down at it, allowing her eyes to linger on the strange words that stared up back at her._

_Death Note._

_"Do you like it?"_

_Mai's attention snapped back up to the towering monster that hovered in front of her. She clutched the notebook to her chest and took an uneasy step back, examining its features. _

_The creature stood hunched but was still extremely tall. Its body was made purely of bone and torn flesh. Enormous black wings came from its back and it had a crooked grin on its face. It sharp teeth glistened in the darkness that surrounded them and it stared directly into Mai's eyes, its own glowing a deep red._

_It was the monster from her dreams. And it was standing right in front of her._

_Mai forced herself to calm down, taking a deep breath. She flinched back when she saw the monster extend its arm and point at her with a bony finger. It snickered, holding back a laugh when it saw Mai's curious, but obviously terrified expression._

_"That notebook used to belong to me."_

_Struggling to find her voice, Mai took another deep breath and sighed. Her eyes flickered down to the notebook in her hands then back up to the monster's face. She raised an eyebrow._

_"What do you mean 'used to'?" She asked quietly, letting her curiosity get the better of her._

_The monster laughed, cackling wildly. "I mean that the moment you first touched it, you became its owner. You. Mai Takashi. An eight year old girl." The monster laughed again, continuing to point at Mai. "You are the new owner of this Death Note."_

_Mai wasn't quite sure what the creature was talking about. If what it said were actually true, then what was already written in the notebook had to be true too, right? Shaking her head, she trailed a hand down the notebook's cover, mesmerized by its simplicity. _

_The monster grinned at Mai's immediate taking to the Death Note. This was going to be fun._

_"Mai," The creature began, hovering closer to the young girl and towering over her. "Do you accept the terms of the Death Note?"_

_Mai slowly looked up to meet the monster's lingering stare. There was no going back now._

_Without even bothering to rationalize what was going on, Mai took once last glance at the notebook in her hands before simply nodding her head in agreement with the creature's words._

(*** *** ***)

Mai woke with a start. She gasped, struggling to find herself as she reminded herself it was only a dream. It had to be dream. Monsters only existed in dreams…

She began to calm down, her eyes drooping closed as she relaxed slightly against the soft fabric behind her.

"I think you were having a nightmare, dear."

Mai's eyes snapped open. She flinched when she felt something on her shoulder. She whipped herself around and saw an elderly man sitting next to her in what appeared to be a…car? When did she get in a car?

The man chuckled softly, his expression soft and caring. He extended his hand out, nodding his head.

"Oh, how rude of me. I haven't even introduced myself! My name is Watari," he said, smiling.

Mai remembered her parents telling her never to talk to strangers, but for some reason, she felt as if she could trust the older man sitting next to her. Even at her young age, she was good at reading people and all she felt from this man was kindness.

Trusting her instinct but still being cautious, Mai placed her hand in Watari's and they shook, formally greeting one another. Watari smiled again, releasing Mai's hand and pulling out a piece of paper for her to see.

Mai curiously looked down at the elegant picture sketched onto the thin parchment. It was a house with the biggest yard she had ever seen.

Watari pointed at the house on the paper. "This is where we're heading right now. It's a special orphanage that I hope you'll find yourself comfortable in."

Mai tilted her head. "I'm going to live there?" She asked softly, running her hand over the picture.

"Yes, it would be my honor to have you stay with us, Mai," Watari said. "You see, I was in Japan on business, and when the police brought you back to the station after the fire, I asked them if I could take you back to England with me to stay at the Wammy House."

Mai only nodded, her attention still focused entirely on the picture in her lap. A large house, no, an orphanage, surrounded by trees and blue skies. This was going to be her home now. Such change in such a short period of time. Her life was changing, and there wasn't a single thing she could do about it.

She would probably never see her friends again. And her parents…

Mai closed her eyes, willing the tears not to fall. She let the picture fall to the floor of the car and took a deep breath. Watari frowned, resting a hand on the young girl's shoulder. Mai immediately threw herself forward into Watari's embrace, sobbing softly.

"Shhh," Watari soothed her. "You'll be safe at the orphanage, Mai. Nothing will be able to hurt you anymore."

Mai continued to cry until they reached the Wammy House. Watari gave her his handkerchief before they exited the car so she could wipe her eyes and blow her nose. As they made their way up to the orphanage, Mai looked around curiously at the other children scattered about in the large front yard. She held onto Watari's hand tightly as they approached the front door.

Watari led her through a hallway and up some stairs before stopping in front of a large oak door. He took out his key and turned the lock, holding the door open for Mai to step inside.

She gazed around the room, keeping quiet as she noted all the different pictures and awards hanging on the walls. Some were in Japanese but the majority were in languages she wasn't familiar with. Her eyes traveled nearly every inch of the room before falling on a dark haired boy who was sitting perched on a chair in the corner.

"Oh, L, I didn't realize you would be in here," Watari said, smiling as he shut the door and moved to stand next to Mai.

The boy simply nodded and continued to chew on this thumb, obviously concentrating deeply on something. His eyes were black like his hair and stared past Mai and Watari distantly. It was like he didn't even see them there.

Watari cleared his throat and rested a hand on Mai's shoulder. The boy called L blinked once before finally acknowledging their presence. He sighed, resting the thumb he was just nibbling on against his lips gently.

"Watari, I believe I've figured out who is responsible for the recent serial murders in Germany," L simply stated, staring up at the older man blankly.

Watari nodded, stepping forward with Mai. "That's good news! However, before we embark on another case, I'd like for you to meet the newest addition to the house." He nudged Mai forward gently, encouraging her with a smile when she sent him a weird look over her shoulder.

"L, this is Mai. She's from Japan," Watari announced.

L looked down at the young girl, tilting his head to one side. He hopped from his chair with ease, hunching over slightly as he shuffled up to where Mai and Watari were standing. He squatted down in front of the girl and extended his hand out.

Mai looked up at Watari but he only smiled and nodded. She returned her gaze to the boy in front of her and immediately deduced that from up close he sort of looked like a panda with his wild black hair and dark eyes.

She giggled, eagerly taking L's hand and shaking it up and down. L's eyes widened slightly as Mai moved their hands. She smiled up at him, her eyes full of hope and admiration for the young detective.

L knew what she had been through only a few days prior. Watari had briefed him over the phone on their plane back to England. Curious, he watched Mai intently. She appeared to be happy, or at least content. Could someone who had just lost everything be genuinely happy so suddenly?

L's thoughts were soon interrupted as a loud _CRASH_ echoed throughout the house. Mai jumped, panicking as she lunged behind L who was still crouching close to the floor. She grasped his shirt tightly, shaking from the sudden noise.

Watari sighed, rubbing his temple. "I suppose Mello and Near still haven't solved their differences, have they?" L only shook his head, suppressing a small smile. Watari sighed again, turning to leave and calling over his shoulder, "I'll be right back."

L nodded silently before rotating on the balls of his feet as he turned to face Mai. She was still shaking and her knuckles were turning white from her grip on the detective's shirt. He frowned slightly, wrapping an arm around the girl's shoulders and pulling her in for a quick hug.

Mai immediately felt at ease when L hugged her. She relaxed, sighing deeply before releasing her hold on his shirt, leaving the fabric wrinkled. She slowly looked up to meet his unreadable expression, trying with all her will not to cry again.

She shuddered, flinching away when L brought his hand toward her face. He brushed away a stray tear from under her eye gently before wiping the salty droplet on his shirt. Mai sniffled, averting her gaze to the plush carpet beneath her.

L frowned again, thinking for a moment before unclasping the thin chain that was hanging around his neck. He hooked Mai's chin with his fingers, titling her head up to meet his stare. He held up the necklace with two fingers before gently fitting it around her neck.

Mai stood still for a moment, craning her neck down so she could see the necklace hanging loosely over her shirt. She cradled the charm in her hand, twirling it around her fingers.

L pointed at the small attached symbol. Mai followed his finger back to the charm hanging from her neck. She smiled, placing her hand over it and looking back up towards L. He returned her smile, ruffling her hair as he said one word in Japanese.

"Hope."

* * *

And that was Chapter 2!

As always, reviews are always welcome! :)


	3. Chapter 3

**JUSTICE  
**

I'll make this little intro short because I feel like all I've been doing is rambling up here.

I'd first like to give a big THANK YOU to PrincessLied and Chesirecat13 for reviewing. That makes me happy. :)  
I'd also like to thank everyone who added "Justice" to their Story Alerts and Favorites. I think I even got a couple Favorite Authors too. You guys make me feel so special. Haha. :)

Also. This chapter is the last "background" chapter. Mai is now 15 years old and she's still at Wammy's. Yay random 7 year time skip.

Oh, and I realize I'm not following what I said about updating every Friday. I guess this is good for you, though considering I'm updating way faster than I normally planned.

Anyways, I'm rambling again. On with the story!

Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note.

* * *

**Chapter 3**

Watari paced down a corridor of the Wammy House briskly, a slight bounce in his step as he rounded a corner and made his way down another hallway. He passed by several classrooms, some empty and gathering dust and some occupied with studious children, before coming to a halt in front of a door at the end of the hall. It was never his intention to divide the children of his orphanage into different classes based on age or intellect, but as the years passed them by, he found he had no choice but to move the three students that were at the top of the class into a private room.

After all, one of them would eventually become L's successor. Watari believed they needed a little extra push in their studies if they were to ever exceed his young protégé.

He glanced into the room through the small window on the door, suppressing a chuckle when he saw Mello and Near debating over something. Those two would never cease to amaze him, Watari thought, smiling proudly at the duo. His glance shifted to the other side of the room where he spotted a young girl sitting by the window. Mai's head was turned to the glass, her attention focused on the world outside rather than on the teacher that stood lecturing at the front of the classroom.

Watari suppressed another laugh when he saw Mai lazily raise her hand and begin answering the teacher without even bothering to turn her head away from the window. The teacher only nodded and praised Mai before moving on to another topic. Mello began mumbling a string of curses and Near only pouted and turned away, continuing to play with his toys.

Watari pulled his attention away from the afternoon lecture and glanced down at his watch. Good, he was right on schedule, noting the time as he moved away from the door and continued down the hall and up a flight of stairs. He approached his office quickly enough and stepped inside before locking the door behind him. He crossed the room and settled down behind his desk, waiting for the call.

Almost as soon as Watari had pulled up his chair, his laptop beeped. He opened it carefully, his fingers brushing over the keys swiftly as he finished setting up the routine connection, making sure it was secured. The laptop beeped again and a scripted L flashed onto the screen.

"Good afternoon, Watari," L's usual monotone voice greeted.

"Hello L. How are you today?"

"I'm doing fine, thank you."

Watari nodded, smiling as he reached for a folder across his desk and pulled out an arrangement of classified documents. He skimmed them over briefly then set them back down before looking up at his laptop again.

"I received the files you sent," The older man began, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow. "However, I can't help but notice that you've already reached a conclusion." He leaned forward and read through the documents a second time, making sure he didn't miss anything. "And you've made several arrests," Watari added, flipping the papers over for any further information before stacking them together neatly.

"You are correct, Watari," L's voice confirmed through the speakers. "Those papers I sent you should suffice as enough evidence against the guilty party and will definitely hold up in court during the trial." L's voice paused, trailing slightly before ringing out again. "This case is officially closed."

"Well, that was certainly fast! Should I make arrangements for your return this week, then?" Watari asked, afraid that he already knew what the detective would say but figured he'd try anyways. Who knew, maybe L would actually agree to come home this time.

Watari sighed, shaking his head at the thought. The probability of his return to the Wammy House was considerably low, but the old man could always hope.

"No, that will not be necessary," L's voice suddenly stated. "However, I would like the most recent copy of test scores from the students, if it's not too much trouble."

Watari nodded, attaching the files to an e-mail and sending them through. "They should hardly surprise you," he said as he locked the classified papers from the case securely in a drawer. "I don't believe they've changed since the last test."

"Yes, I can see that." There was another pause before L spoke again. "So those three are still in the top, hm?" he asked quietly, almost more to himself than to Watari. The old man only nodded and sighed softly, trying to find the right words for what he was about to say next.

"L," he began cautiously, pulling out another paper and going over the already confirmed information. L immediately noticed the change in his mentor's voice.

"Yes, what is it?"

Watari sighed, knowing the young detective wouldn't take this very well despite his uncaring and distant attitude. No matter what L said to contradict the situation, Watari knew of the detective's curiosity and protectiveness of the mysterious girl that came into their lives only seven short years ago. He considered L's desire to stay away from the Wammy House longer than was necessary while he was working on cases a clear indication of his feelings towards the girl. He was trying to protect himself, knowing full well his feelings could end up jeopardizing his or her life. They had never directly discussed the matter with one another, but that didn't stop Watari from coming to the right conclusion.

The old man cleared his throat as he straightened his shoulders, squaring them with the laptop. "It has recently been decided that Mai will be leaving the orphanage," he simply said, not beating around the bush. That never worked well when talking to L anyways.

"Explain," came the instant reply and Watari nodded, continuing as he went over Mai's file thoroughly.

"As you can see, Mai is currently at the top of the class and has been for the last few years. She has exceeded incredibly over the years she's been here and her intelligence is nothing short of impressive."

"Get to the point, Watari." L's voice ordered, sounding annoyed.

"Ah, yes." Watari ran his finger over the newest section of Mai's file. "To put it frankly, I believe that she has learned all that she can here at Wammy's, even in her short stay. So it was my idea that she move out to get some real world experience. After all, what is intelligence if you can't apply it in real life?"

There was a moment of silence between them before L's voice echoed through the speakers once again.

"When is she scheduled to leave?"

"Arrangements have been made for her to depart tonight," Watari answered. "She will be going back to Japan for high school and possibly university if she wishes. I have taken care of her living quarters and tuition."

There was another pause before L answered.

"Very well," his monotone voice said. Watari nodded, gathering the rest of the papers scattered across his desk and clipping them together. Slipping them into a folder, he also took a moment to lock them away in a separate drawer before moving to disconnect his laptop with L's.

Just as Watari was about to push the button that would shut down their connection, L's voice called out again.

"One last thing, Watari."

The old man tilted his head. "Yes?"

"Please make arrangements for me to come home."

Watari smiled sadly, nodding. "It's already done," he said before closing the laptop.

(*** *** ***)

Mai chewed on the cap of her pen absentmindedly, not really paying attention to what her teacher was lecturing about from the front of the small room they were in. Her classes were nearly over for the day, and she was eager to get back to her room and pack up her things.

The reality of her situation failed to really sink in until this morning, and Mai was unsure how to process the wide range of emotions that enveloped her. It went without saying she was excited. How could she not be? She was finally going back to Japan after all these years.

However, when things seem to be too good to be true…

Mai sighed, letting the pen drop to her desk. She folded her hands and rested her chin on them, using the desk as support as she contemplated her dilemma. She may have been ecstatic when Watari approached her with the offer to return to Japan, but with that euphoric joy came the doubt and nerves about returning to the country where her life took a 180.

She couldn't predict what her return would do to her emotionally, but Mai knew it would be worth it in the end. Over her years at the orphanage, she had worked hard to surpass all the other children. She spent nearly all of her free time studying, striving to be the best. If she planned to catch the men that ruined her life and avenge her parent's death, she couldn't afford any mistakes and needed to be at the top of her game. And now fate had finally put the ball in her court, with a little added help from Watari.

_Watari._

Mai smiled, thinking about just how much she cared for the old man. He was there from the very beginning and was always willing to extend a helping hand. He cared for the orphans considerably and was by far the nicest person Mai knew. She would definitely miss him when she left.

Craning her neck to her right, Mai glanced across the room to where her classmates, Mello and Near, were sitting. They were arguing over something as usual, Mello thrashing his arms about dramatically as he tried to make his point and Near simply sitting still and contradicting almost everything the other boy said. They were a strange pair, but Mai realized she wouldn't have them any other way. Even though she had her doubts about whether or not they would ever see past their differences and try working together, she couldn't help but smile when she saw their routine arguments.

As if to prove his immaturity, Mello suddenly flicked one of Near's toys across the room which earned him an annoyed sigh from the white haired boy. Mai chuckled at their childish behavior, turning her attention back to their teacher who was wrapping up the day's lecture. They were dismissed quickly, and the teacher even took a moment to say goodbye to Mai as she exited the room and began her walk back to her own.

"I don't know how you stand it. You do the same exact thing every day. It's so _boring_."

Mai rolled her eyes at the familiar voice, taking the steps two at a time as she ascended to the second floor of the orphanage. "No one asks you to follow me around everywhere I go," she murmured quietly, daring a glance at the Shinigami floating next to her.

The Death God called Grim hunched further over his skeletal body, mumbling incoherently. "You could at least entertain me by writing a name in the Death Note."

Mai snorted, holding back a laugh as they entered her room. "Is there any way I could write yours?" she teased, pulling out a suitcase from under her bed. Grim wrapped his bony arms around himself, cackling wildly.

"Well I suppose you could, but it certainly wouldn't kill me," he snickered, floating over her and plopping down on her bed, supporting his head with his hand as he sprawled out amongst the pillows and blankets. Mai gave him a weird look before continuing to empty her drawers and stack her clothes in the suitcase neatly. She continued this charade for the next 10 minutes or so, moving around her room with purpose and collecting the items that lay scattered here and there.

Grim sat up suddenly, following Mai's movements intensely as she worked away at sweeping her room clean. "Hey."

Mai didn't respond to the Shinigami's attempt at conversation. She opened another drawer and began dumping its contents into a second suitcase, suppressing a smirk when she heard Grim rustling anxiously on her bed.

"_Hey_," Grim called out again, moving to hover over her open suitcases. He looked down at her with glowing red eyes, flailing his arms desperately when Mai continued to ignore him. "Hey, I'm talking to you!"

…

…

…

"HEY!"

Mai couldn't take it anymore. Suppressing another smile, she spun on her heel, jumping back slightly when she saw Grim was now standing directly in front of her, his face hovering only inches away from hers.

"What?" she asked sternly, trying to sound menacing. A hard thing to do when a Death God stood looming over you.

Grim leaned in closer, causing Mai to take a step back. His eyes flickered down to the suitcases then back up to Mai's confused face. He snickered, laughing again. "Are you running away?"

Mai narrowed her eyes, sighing as she turned away and resumed packing. "You feel the need to follow me _everywhere_ but you never really pay attention, do you?"

The Shinigami merely shrugged and floated back to the girl's bed, once again making himself at home and sprawling out over the soft fabric. Mai shook her head, moving to the last drawer. She pulled it open and gathered the last of her things, nearly tripping over herself as she stumbled over to a suitcase. She bent down to pick up the fallen items, her movements freezing suddenly when she spotted a small picture sticking out from one of her books.

Mai slowly reached forward and pulled the picture out from between the pages, gasping when its contents came into her full view. She hung her head, running a finger over the small photo gently before pulling herself to her feet and slowly shuffling over to the table that sat positioned in front of her window. She sat down next to it, letting the picture fall into her lap as her gaze shifted to the window.

Outside the sky was beginning to darken and a light rain started to fall, the droplets pelting against her window softly. Mai stared out into the blackening sky, letting her mind wander and the memories of her past consume her as they began to flood her every thought.

She sat unmoving for what seemed to be hours. The light rain from before had escalated into a steady downpour, and Mai saw it fitting to the sudden downpour of emotion that came with seeing a picture of her late parents. She felt weak from letting her emotions take control of her so easily, especially since it was only a picture that triggered her sudden mood swing, but it was hard not to succumb to them when all she saw when she closed her eyes were flashes of the tragedy that claimed her parent's lives.

Grim became restless again, growling loudly as he abruptly jumped off the girl's bed and moved to stand at the opposite corner of the room. His eyes glowed steadily and he stared at Mai, mimicking her posture and remaining motionless.

After a moment of silence, he emitted another low growl, clearly frustrated.

"You're acting very different today."

"What's your point?" Mai asked dryly, her chin resting absently in her palm as she continued to stare out her window, her expression glazed and distant. She wasn't in the mood to deal with the Shinigami's games anymore today. Yesterday she wouldn't have cared. Tomorrow she probably wouldn't care. Hell, she might even humor the sadistic Death God and join him in a few laughs. But today… Well today definitely wasn't tomorrow and that meant she could care less what her creepy roommate had to say. Her mind was now focused on one thing and one thing only, and she would be damned if she didn't spend at least part of the day trying to remember what little she could about her parents.

She owed them that much.

Sighing, Mai shot a glance over her shoulder at Grim. He stood in the corner, his enormous body casting an eerie shadow on the wall. His eyes were glowing brightly, staring directly at her from across the room. She shivered under his intense stare before directing her gaze back to the drizzling rain outside.

After a moment of silence, Mai closed her eyes and sighed again. Even after all these years, she still found it considerably difficult to concentrate when Grim was staring at her like that.

"Did you want to say anything else, Grim?" she pressed further, gritting her teeth slightly when she heard his familiar cackle echo out through the room.

The Death God raised a hand, pointing at Mai, a devilish grin on his face. "I'm merely speculating as to why you pick this day of all days to act like, hmmm. Don't take offense to this, but you're acting like a brat."

Cocking an eyebrow, Mai turned in her chair to face Grim. She crossed her arms to her chest, eyeing him warningly. They stared at each other for a minute before Mai finally shrugged her shoulders, sighing.

"You really don't remember what today is, do you?" she asked quietly, averting her gaze and closing her eyes, feeling the memories of that day start to creep to the surface and flood her mind again. Grim merely shrugged a boney shoulder.

"Don't tell me we forgot to celebrate your birthday?" his coarse voice mocked, teasing the girl further. Mai sucked in a breath of air, biting her bottom lip roughly as she stood to face the Shinigami.

"I don't know why I expected you to remember," she began coldly, snatching her jacket from the back of her chair and making her way towards the door. "I doubt you've ever experienced love, Grim. And I doubt you ever will. After all, you're just another heartless monster."

Without as much as a glance over her shoulder, Mai promptly exited her room, slamming the door on her way out. She stormed down the hall, flying around a corner and down the stairs that led to the main floor of the orphanage. She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes, and she willed them not to fall as she brushed past Near who was standing awkwardly by the front door, a robot in his hand.

"Mai, are you okay?" he asked calmly, titling his head to one side curiously. Mai didn't stop to speak to the younger boy, hanging her head as she pushed the doors open and marched down the steps out into the yard. Near simply shrugged and closed the doors behind her before settling down on the floor to play with his toys.

The wind howled softly as rain continued to fall. It quickly soaked through Mai's jacket, and she shivered, wrapping her arms about herself as she made her way down through the yard and to a nearby Oak that loomed over the grounds protectively. She stood under its massive arch, staring out into the darkening sky as night began to fall.

It was exactly seven years ago to the day that her life as she knew it changed dramatically. Memories of that day nearly plagued her every thought, pulling her further into the darkness that haunted her over the years. The screams of that fateful night could be heard everywhere. In the hallway, in her room, in her dreams. It was like her past had her gripped by the neck and wouldn't ever let her go.

Mai wept quietly, allowing her tears to freely cascade down her cheeks. They mixed with the rain and silently fell from her face as she continued her lifeless stare up at the sky. She shivered as the wind suddenly picked up, blowing her long hair across her shoulders. Her locks were black and reminded her of the emptiness she felt within herself. Try as she may, Mai could never remember any part of her life before her parent's death. It was like fate had wanted her to suffer.

"There is a way to make your suffering stop, you know."

Mai's gaze briefly shifted to the Shinigami hovering next to her before returning back to the sky. "I'm well aware of that," she whispered softly, pulling her jacket tighter around her small body.

If there was one thing Grim was consistent with, it was reminding her of the mysterious notebook she found all those years ago.

The Death Note.

It seemed unreal at first, especially at Mai's young age. It wasn't everyday an eight year old girl found a notebook that could kill someone by just writing their name in it. She probably wouldn't have believed it if not for the Death God that reappeared at the orphanage soon after she was settled in. She thought her encounter with the monster from her dreams was just that, another dream. But as it turned out, her meeting with him was very real. They were bound to one another now by the Death Note, and he would follow her around until the notebook was destroyed or she died, whichever came first.

Her adjustment to Wammy's was extremely difficult, to say the least. Not only was she emotionally unstable, but the power of the Death Note allowed only her to see and speak to the Shinigami Grim. Mai juggled her problems the best she could, having to secretly speak with Grim so no one would think she was crazy while maintaining her studies to rise to the top of the class. If anything, she thought Grim was an advantage to her learning. Being able to sneak around without raising any suspicion was a great talent to have.

However, Mai found that the Shinigami's constant nag about using the Death Note was annoying. She had to admit she thought about it, on countless occasions, but everytime she came close to writing down a name, she reminded herself that even though her thirst for revenge was pushing that of desperation, she couldn't let herself be lost to the Death Note's power. She wasn't a murderer.

Mai sighed, averting her gaze to the ground as the scenario played through her head again. She had the power to avenge her parents. She could put an end to those murderous thugs and potentially save more lives. Writing only a few names, names of murderous criminals, wouldn't really hurt anything, right?

_No. _

Mai clenched her fists, disgusted with herself for even considering using the notebook. Nothing good could come out of death. It would only bring more death, more suffering. Besides, she didn't even have their full names.

"There is another way. You've told me before you know what those men look like."

Mai turned her head to meet Grim's mischievous stare, shaking her head. "I know you'd love to take half of my remaining life, but I've told you before. That eye deal of yours is out of the question."

Even after she denied Grim's offer again, Mai couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to possess Shinigami Eyes. It was an extremely dangerous temptation, and she hated it when Grim brought it up. She sighed again before squaring her shoulders and holding her head up, mustering up what little dignity she could. That she was even considering using the Death Note or trading half her life for Shinigami Eyes was ridiculous.

Mai was at the top of her class. She'd worked hard over the years, studying to be the best so she could one day bring her parent's killers to real justice, not some fantasy magical justice the Death Note had to offer. If she learned anything at her stay at Wammy's it was the simple concept of right and wrong.

Her eyes suddenly flicked down to the necklace hanging loosely from her neck, and Mai couldn't help but smile when she saw the little charm that was attached. Whenever she thought about justice, she immediately thought about the boy that gave her said necklace.

Although she only saw him that one time, the impression he made had helped her find herself again over the years. L was the world's greatest detective, and Mai was probably his biggest fan. The impact he made on her life was nothing short of extraordinary, and she knew he would never forgive her if she selfishly took matters into her own hands for personal satisfaction. It was that very reason that kept her from using the Death Note, and she would continue to ignore the temptation the notebook offered.

The wind howled suddenly, picking up speed. Mai hugged herself, rubbing her arms as she turned to walk back to the orphanage. Grim followed behind her silently as she rounded the building to the front steps. He came to sudden halt upon turning the corner, nearly crashing into Mai. Muttering a string of curses, he poked his head up to see the old man called Watari standing at the foot of the steps that led up to the orphanage's front doors.

Watari smiled at the sight of Mai, approaching her quickly and shielding her from the cold rain with his umbrella. She followed alongside him as they made their way to the circular driveway. She noticed a car idling and her suitcases stacked against a pillar.

"Mai, are you ready?" Watari asked, moving to open the car door.

Mai stood still for a moment before turning to face the orphanage. She sure was going to miss this place, she thought, pushing all the negative thoughts from her mind and focusing on the good. Overall it had been a great run, but Mai knew she couldn't keep running forever. Japan was her future, and from now on she would take what she learned at Wammy's and use it to her benefit. Her life was starting over again, but this time it was for the better.

Mai stretched her arms above her head and took a deep breath before turning back around to face Watari. He smiled at her, pride glistening in his eyes. He really was something, Mai thought, appreciative of all the years of help, love and kindness he, his staff and the other children showed her.

A smile on her lips and a new glint of determination in her eyes, she picked up her suitcases and nodded her head. "I'm ready."

* * *

Talk about some serious Mai reflection time, eh?  
I know she was kind of bratty and depressing in this chapter but I promise she'll be more positive in future chapters. After all, now she'll have Light and L to help her get through it all. :)

Also, I feel like I sort of rushed through these first few chapters. I guess I just really, really wanted you guys to know what Mai is all about before I throw her in with all the chaos and drama of the Kira Case.

Hopefully no one is too confused. :X  
I have the entire story mapped out in my head, but I forget that only I know everything about Mai. I feel like I've forgotten to write certain things that will help tie everything together but maybe I'm just being paranoid.

So anyways, Chapter 4 will commence with the overall story and will most definitely include Light, L, Watari, Matsuda (yay!) and everyone else. I'm expecting it to be as long if not longer than this chapter, too.

Wow, I _really_ rambled this time. Hehe. Sorry.

Reviews make me smile! :)


	4. Chapter 4

**JUSTICE**

And now… The real fun begins.  
Mai is 18. Light is 17. L is 25. Grim is 3486730958836902835450848.

PS. I'm tweaking the plot slightly, but I promise it won't ever stray too dramatically. Everything will more or less flow as it normally would.

Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note. :(

* * *

_Mai stretched her arms above her head and took a deep breath before turning back around to face Watari. A smile on her lips and a new glint of determination in her eyes, she picked up her suitcases and nodded her head. _

_"I'm ready."_

3 years later…

**Chapter 4  
**

The sun shone brightly, its rays cascading down from the sky and illuminating the city of Tokyo, Japan in a soft glow. Birds could be heard chirping from a distance as the hustle and bustle of the routine morning commute began. Children left their houses and scurried off to school while their parents prepared to leave for work. The streets quickly filled with cars and people as another day began.

Mai Takashi walked down the street slowly, her footsteps padding against the pavement softly as she inhaled a deep breath, a smile spreading across her lips. "What a beautiful morning!" she exclaimed, relaxing her shoulders and adjusting the messenger bag that hung across her chest.

"Today looks exactly the same as yesterday did."

Mai frowned, pausing in her step to openly glare at Grim who hovered nearby. "Ugh. Why can't you just be positive for _one_ day and appreciate the nature around us?" she asked, pouting and crossing her arms in protest. Seriously, it was like the Death God just slapped her in the face.

As if to push her further to the edge, Grim simply shrugged and continued on further down the street, leaving Mai standing alone next to a tree. She narrowed her eyes, turning her head up before resuming her walk to work. Stupid Shinigami. He always contradicted what she said and never, _ever_ gave her a break. He was lucky she couldn't kill him with her Death Note.

Pushing the murderous thought aside, Mai made her way across a few more streets before rounding a corner to start down another. Her pace slowed slightly as she passed by the rows of houses, and she came to a complete stop when she arrived in front of a house that had become all too familiar in the past three years.

Mai turned to face the small house, her gaze drifting over the neatly kept lawn and up to the window that occupied a section of the second floor. She stared at the window for a moment as if trying to look through it, an impossible task from her position on the street. She sighed, a small frown playing on her lips.

It had been nearly a week since she saw her best friend, Light Yagami. Eyes flickering down to her watch, she noted it was almost 8 o'clock. He would already be at school by now, but that didn't stop Mai from at least walking by. It was sort of on her way to work anyways. Taking one last look at the house, she sighed again before continuing down the street, her thoughts quickly returning to her friend and previous classmate.

When Mai had first returned to Japan, she was immediately enrolled into the nearest high school. Her adjustment to a public school was slightly different to say the least than that of her academic run at Wammy's in England. Upon the end of her first day in high school, she realized she was in for a long three years of boring teachers, preppy students and the occasional bully or two. And if that wasn't pain enough for her, Mai was astounded at how simple and unchallenging her classes were. Unimpressed by the lack of educational stimulation, she lazily rose to the top of her class again and even graduated a year early. But enough about that.

Back to Light Yagami.

The young genius noticed Mai's presence quickly enough, and even though a year separated them academically and he was one year her junior, she wasn't about to turn down friendship. Over the course of her short high school career, she grew to genuinely care about Light, and she was pretty sure he cared about her too. Where their teachers failed to challenge them academically, they took matters into their own hands and adopted a hobby of testing each other. They were constantly competing, and Mai couldn't help but flaunt her superiority every once and awhile. Unlike his other classmates, she was able to match his intelligence and even surpassed him a time or two, which resulted in her early graduation.

Mai smiled, thinking back over her years shared with Light and more recently, her new found relationship with his father through her internship with the NPA. Soichiro Yagami was the Chief of Police of the NPA and welcomed Mai into their internship program for the year before she left to attend university. The entire Yagami family was good people, and she especially thought Light may even exceed her expectations. He possessed a pure soul and a mind that was steered in the right direction. However, it was this stubborn confidence of hers that made Mai question just how well she really knew him.

She sighed, shaking her head and forcing the suspicious thought from her mind as she hurried across the street and approached a local coffee shop. Light was a good person, and if he chose to ignore Mai for a week and distance himself, she would act like the trustworthy friend she is and leave him be.

She pushed open the door of the shop and stepped inside quickly, the aroma of freshly ground coffee beans and hot pie instantly capturing her senses and drawing her closer to the counter. Grim seemed to take notice of the sweet smelling food too, his head snapping up from its usual tilt forward and a twisted smile appearing on his face. He bounced across the room, zigzagging through the swarm of people huddled up against the glass counter and came to an abrupt halt over a shelf of apple pie. He pointed wildly at the pastries, flailing his arms and shouting across the room at Mai, who simply remained standing by the door with an eyebrow raised.

"Hey Mai!" he called out over the roar of the crowd, spinning in the air over the pies. "HEY. These apple pies smell so good. I can already feel my taste buds watering. You HAVE to buy one for me, I'll do anything…"

Mai suppressed a laugh, holding her hand in front of her mouth as she moved to stand at the end of the line. She watched the Shinigami out of the corner of her eye, abruptly shaking her head when she saw him about to devour one of the pies. Discarding any maturity he might have had, Grim threw his arms in the air, his eyes glowing and mouth drooling as he admittedly sighed in defeat and sauntered back to his usual place at Mai's side.

"You're so bossy. One wouldn't have hurt," he grumbled lowly, turning away from the girl and crossing his arms. Mai rolled her eyes. She knew as well as he did that is was unacceptable for him to eat or pick up anything while they were in public. Humans simply would not overlook it if they saw a pie floating through the air before mysteriously being gobbled up by some unknown _thing_.

She turned her attention away from the whining Death God, her eyes wandering up to a television that was mounted on the wall to her left. Tuning her ears to block out the different conversations going on around her, she focused on the news reporter that was reading something with an extremely concerned look on her face.

"_The recent string of killings of various criminals certainly has people on edge, to say the least. And with these murders come an obvious separation of opinion. Is it right to dispose of the guilty and criminal or should justice be obtained through the court systems?"_

Mai frowned, knowing exactly who the reporter was referring to. Within the past few weeks, a series of murders began taking place in Japan, however these murders were specific and whoever was committing them only targeted one class of people. Criminals.

During the weeks preceding the start of murders, the public slapped a name onto the mysterious killer who lurked in the shadows and disposed of the country's unjust.

Kira.

Translating blatantly to the word "killer" in English, it was a fitting name to say the least.

The invisible line of opinion, as the reporter said, was beginning to divide the population into two new classes of people; People who supported the inhumane genocide of criminals and people who thought it was wrong.

Mai shook her head sadly, her eyes still fixed onto the TV as the reporter announced that support for this mysterious killer was growing. Although she was always in a constant battle with herself about whether or not she should write the names of her parent's killers in her trump card notebook, she knew in her heart that killing criminals was wrong.

Who was she kidding, killing in general was wrong. Death could only bring more death and murdering an entire population of people, whether they were criminals or not, wouldn't change the world for the better but rather shape it into something it was never meant to be.

Turning her attention back to the decreasing line in front of her, Mai took another step forward and pulled her bag up in front of her so she could get her wallet out. When it was finally her turn, she stepped up to the counter and placed her order.

"_This just in! This just in! Ladies and gentlemen, I've just received a report of the latest attack!"_

Mai's head snapped up, her eyes frantically searching the reporter's face for any inclination of what she was about to say. Sucking in a breath of air, Mai braced herself for another disgusting announcement of how many people were killed this time.

"_It seems that this tragic epidemic of murder has somehow expanded out of Japan and has begun to infect other countries! We have reports of over 50 criminals from the United States, France, Russia and Spain ALL dying of heart attacks last night. This report, as shocking as it may be, poses the question of how? How is this happening? How could all of these criminals die at the exact same time? Why did they all die of heart attacks? … …. ….." _

Mai's jaw dropped. She stared at the television, eyes wide and mind racing. 50 people? _50? _And from four different countries? She didn't want to believe it at first, thought it might not even be possible, but when the murders began those weeks ago, it was the first thing to come to her mind. This unpleasant turn in events definitely… complicated things.

"Hello? Miss? Your donuts are ready."

Without bothering so much as a glance to the worker behind the counter, Mai slapped down some money and snatched the bag of food before quickly leaving the crowded coffee shop. Brows pulled together, she went over the possibility that she had been fearful of from the beginning as she marched down the street and into the city.

Grim casually floated up next to her, craning his neck down to look at the girl. "Ooh, what's the matter? You look upset."

"Of course I'm upset," Mai responded in hushed tones so as to not draw any unwanted attention their way. She dared a glance at the Death God. "Didn't you hear what that news reporter just said on the TV?"

"Yeah, she said something about that Kira person killing another 50 people or something."

"Not just people, Grim. Criminals. And that's exactly my point. She also said that those criminals were detained in different countries, meaning they were separated by thousands of miles."

Grim shrugged. "So?"

"_So_," Mai began, quickening her pace when she saw her watch read 8:22. "Don't you find it the least bit suspicious as to how they all could have died in a single night, coincidentally at the exact same time? Also, they all died of heart attacks. Doesn't that little fact ring any bells?"

She turned down another street that led up to the police station. The Shinigami was quiet for a moment, clearly thinking the situation over before suddenly cackling his familiar laugh, following close on Mai's heels as she ascended the steps to the front doors of Police Headquarters.

He smirked, eyes glinting excitedly. "Oh, I see. So you think there's another Death Note out there, don't you?" Mai only sighed, nodding her head slightly before pushing open the door and entering Headquarters.

"Bingo," she whispered, making her way to the front desk and scanning her temporary ID to log herself in for the day. Clipping the small identification card to the outside of her jacket, she briefly greeted the receptionists before hurrying over to the elevators and stepping inside one. Mai glanced at her watch again.

8:28

She was going to be late. Frowning, she pushed the button for the 6th floor again, determined to get the door closed if it was the last thing she did. She let out a frustrated sigh when the steel doors finally began sliding shut. Another glance down.

8:29

Biting her lip, Mai silently willed the stupid machine to close faster. The doors were almost shut, just a few more inches…

"Hey, wait! Could you hold the door please?"

Sighing, Mai reluctantly stepped forward and placed her foot down as a stopper. She shouldn't be surprised at the situation, this little incident happened almost every other day. The doors bounced off her foot with some resistance, returning to their previous position before sliding closed again, leaving just enough space for a very scattered looking young man to dive in.

Chuckling softly to herself, Mai extended her hand out to help the young officer up off the floor. "Graceful as always, Matsuda," she teased, her smile breaking into a grin when the man ignored her attempt at help and jumped to his feet on his own only to slip on the papers he'd dropped when he stampeded into the small elevator. He crashed to the floor again, grunting as he slowly pulled himself up once more.

"Owww," he moaned, rubbing the back of his head. Mai shook her own, suppressing another laugh when Matsuda stuck his tongue out at her.

"It's not funny!" he protested, embarrassingly slouching over to retrieve the documents that scattered the floor. Mai giggled and crouched down to help him.

"Maybe you should get here on time, then I wouldn't always have to hold the door for you," she teased again, handing him one of the documents. Matsuda hung his head in obvious shame, holding the papers close to his chest as the elevator continued to rise. Mai laughed, patting him on the shoulder.

"I was only kidding. You know I'd never let this demonic elevator close without you, Matsu."

Matsuda glanced up at Mai then down to the bag she was holding, a goofy smile spreading across his lips. "Oh, I know. It's okay. I think I found out how you can repay me for today anyways."

Mai raised an eyebrow, inclining the peculiar officer with a curious stare. "Repay _you_? I was actually here on time!" she scoffed, crossing her arms to her chest. Matsuda frowned, thrusting an arm towards the door.

"Yeah, but you let that stupid thing practically eat me!" he retorted, faking a broken heart and placing his hand on his chest dramatically. Mai rolled her eyes, playfully punching his arm.

"You're a man, aren't you? You can take it."

He laughed, shrugging a shoulder before leaning forward slightly and sniffing in her direction. Mai gave him a weird look. "Yes, can I help you?" she asked, leaning away.

Matsuda grinned, pointing down at the bag in her arms. "You bought donuts, didn't you?"

Mai sighed. She looked down at the bag, fumbling with its handle for a moment before slowly extending it towards the officer. "Here, you don't even have to ask for one," she said, chuckling when his face lit up. He looked like a little kid experiencing their first Christmas. She smiled.

He was putting on a good show, pretending not to care about the seriousness that hung in the air concerning the massive heart attack wave against criminals. Whether he was doing it for her own benefit because she was just an intern or because he didn't want to fuel the fire of panic that was rising between investigators, she couldn't help but truly appreciate it. Mai knew the escalation of this case was growing at a rapid rate, and with the news of 50 new criminals being murdered last night, she could only brace herself for turn it was about to take.

Snapping her out of her thoughts, Matsuda nearly lunged forward and grasped the bag of pastries quickly, peering down into it excitedly. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Mai simply nodded, smiling. Grim on the other hand stood gawking in the corner, his mouth hung open and eyes wide. Flailing his arms, he pointed at Matsuda wildly, pure venom in his voice as he spoke.

"You give him a whole bag of donuts but couldn't afford to buy me one damn apple pie?"

Hiding the smirk that was tugging at her lips, Mai brought up a hand and pretended to yawn as the elevator finally reached the 6th floor, ringing out to alert them of their arrival with a sudden _ding!_

"Oh good, we're finally here," Matsuda mumbled around a chocolate filled donut. Mai simply narrowed her eyes as they stepped out into the hallway.

"Yeahh no thanks to you," she murmured quietly, rounding a corner into another hallway and making her way to their workroom. Matsuda followed behind her, munching on another donut as they entered the familiar computer filled room and settled at their desks. Mai let her messenger bag drape over the back of her chair as she made herself comfortable for another day's work. Just as she had turned her computer on and moved the mouse to hover over the file of the case she'd been most recently working on, another officer, named Aizawa, swung the door open in a panic.

"Hey, you guys!" he shouted frantically, causing Mai to jump and nearly fall off her chair. "The Chief is holding an impromptu meeting. He said to find you two and tell you to get yourselves down to the conference room immediately." He nodded at them and pointed down the hall, signaling where to go.

Mai and Matsuda followed Aizawa to the meeting, taking seats towards the back of the room. She shivered at the silence that welcomed them. Everyone was on edge. Curiosity shone in most of their eyes, but with it also mixed sheer worry and unmistakable fear.

It was no surprise though, Mai thought, crossing her arms and eyeing Chief Yagami warily. If her assumptions were correct about there being another Death Note and that whoever owned it was in fact Kira and was using it to murder criminals, she was confident that the murders would only increase and would leave the police no other choice than to gather at the ICPO. And although the other officers, or anyone for that matter, were unaware of the means by which criminals were being eliminated, it was obvious the mass murderer still shook them to the core knowing he could kill without being in the same room. Or now, as evidence suggested, the same country.

Maybe it _was_ more terrifying not knowing how all of these people were dying, she thought, pondering the idea. If she had no information pertaining to the existence of Death Notes, how would she be reacting right now?

More importantly, however, all unrealistic scenarios aside, what would she do to help the investigation? Unlike her fellow officers, she actually knew how Kira was killing his victims. Hell, she had the power to do the same thing. But even if she did reveal to the other investigators how these murderous acts were falling through, there's no doubt they would question as to how she figured. Giving up that information would only endanger herself, and unfortunately for the greater scheme of things, that wasn't a risk she was willing to take.

Chief Yagami cleared his throat, pulling Mai from her thoughts. Everyone turned their attention to the front of the room, each officer on the edge of their seat in anticipation to what the Chief of Police had to say. Mai bit her lip. She already had a pretty good feeling of what was going to come out of his mouth.

"Hello everyone and good morning," Soichiro Yagami greeted. He looked tired, Mai noted as he brought his hand up to rub his forehead before continuing to speak, his voice concerned but still authoritative.

"As I'm sure you're all aware, criminals throughout Japan have begun to be executed with all deaths resulting from heart attacks. This phenomenon was thought to be unrelated to the deaths of other criminals in different countries, but suspicions rose considerably and confirmed one of our greatest fears late last night when 50 criminals from 4 different countries were all executed at the exact same time. They also, as suspected, all died of heart attacks."

Some of the investigators stirred in their seats, exchanging worried glances and mumbling to one another. Chief Yagami held his hand up, motioning for silence as he cleared his throat again. The officers immediately fell quiet once again as the Chief continued to speak.

"Due to the rise in deaths, a meeting will be held at the ICPO to discuss the case further and hopefully solve the question if these murders by Kira are being carried out by a single party or by multiple parties. We are unsure at this time if Kira stands for an organization or not."

Mai rested her chin in her palm, sighing softly as a trail of guilt crept up her spine. There wasn't any need for further speculation as to who was committing mass genocide to the world's criminals. Unless a group of justice seeking fanatics all somehow wound up possessing Death Notes, a theory she highly doubted to be true, the only other option was for there to be one person with a Death Note committing all the crimes. And that person was Kira.

Mai shuddered at the thought, turning her attention back to Chief Yagami. She inclined her head curiously, sitting up in her chair. He was announcing who would accompany him to the ICPO meeting later that afternoon.

When she heard Matsuda's name being called, she applauded softly, smiling at the young officer sitting next to her. He was the newest member beside herself to the NPA, and she thought he deserved the experience this meeting was sure to bring. He would be a key asset to the investigation too. Despite his usual childish and immature behavior, Matsuda knew when to drop the games and act serious.

Focusing her attention once again to the front of the room, Mai glanced around at the other officers, wondering who else the Chief would take with him to the meeting. Letting her eyes briefly fall on each of the men, she quickly concluded that if he was going to take anyone else it should logically be Aizawa, Mogi or Ukita. All three were exceptionally good officers and would no doubt be of high use to the investigation.

Chief Yagami cleared his throat for a third time, again snapping Mai from her wandering thoughts. She looked up at him and surprisingly, he met her gaze with a look of pure determination.

"The next person to join me at the ICPO meeting is our current intern here at the NPA, Mai Takashi."

Mai's head jerked up at the sound of her name. She smiled weakly at the other officers who were making no attempt to hide the death glares they were sending her way. Heh. If looks could kill.

Pushing the not so funny pun out of her mind, Mai pushed back her chair and stood up next to Matsuda, turning to face the Chief and ignoring the string of muttered curses being sent her way. As if sensing the tension in the room, Chief Yagami gestured toward Mai as his voice rose to speak again.

"My decision to take Mai is not only because, like Matsuda, it would be good experience for her," he began, rescuing her from the nearly rabid crowd. "But also because of her highly demonstrated intellect and quick intuition. I think she could be a great asset to this case, and I hope you'll all treat her as if she was an official police officer."

Mai smiled at the Chief and he returned the gesture, nodding his head to which Mai translated into a silent "You're welcome."

(*** *** ***)

1 hour earlier…

Watari's fingers brushed over the keys of his laptop with ease, the simple task of typing second nature to him. Over the years working with L, he found that even in his old age there was always room in his brain to learn new things.

Take computers, for example.

Because of his protégé's love and need for technology, Watari had to become a master of all things computer in order to ensure that the young detective would always be safe. Luckily for L, Watari had always been a fast learner and could adapt easily to anything the man wished of him.

The old man smiled at the thought, realizing just how much L depended on him for. He could only hope that one day, once he was gone, the detective would be able to move on as well. The last thing he wanted to do was become a burden, especially to L.

Watari glanced at his watch, noting the time as he finalized the classified document that was to be sent to the Chief of the NPA, Soichiro Yagami. He had left L alone downstairs, telling him that he had some quick business concerning the Wammy House to attend to before he departed to the ICPO meeting. Never one for lying, Watari hastily made up the document that would ensure the presence of a certain NPA officer at the upcoming congressional meeting before promptly returning downstairs and addressing L before he left.

Adjusting his disguise, Watari followed a dark hallway until he reached the room the detective was sitting in. His protégé was kneeling on the floor in front of a computer, one that would soon connect him through to the delegates of the ICPO.

"L, I've finished my business upstairs," he began, bending down to pick up an empty plate full of crumbs off the floor. "Do you require anything else before I leave?"

"No, Watari that will be all. Thank you."

The old man simply nodded before pulling down his hat and turning on his heel, his destination the ICPO.

(*** *** ***)

"Isn't this exciting? A real live gathering of the world's greatest police forces, all here under one roof to find a solution to stop Kira!"

"Matsuda, please calm down. This is no time for fun and games. We're here on official business, representing the NPA and will act as such."

Mai held back a smirk as she watched her best friend's father and Chief of Police, Soichiro Yagami and her goofy, dimwitted work buddy, Touta Matsuda, argue. She followed them to their designated seats, taking her own on the end of the aisle next to said dimwit. Her eyes scanned the room quickly, taking in the delegates and their countries they were representing before she turned her neck to look at Chief Yagami.

"Chief," she addressed, softly pushing Matsuda back against his chair when he leaned forward to block her view. "Don't mistake my next words as ungratefulness, but I'd like to ask you if I may why you chose me to attend this meeting? From what I know, the ICPO is an elite conference of delegates from countries around the world with each group of delegates representing their own country's police and law enforcement sectors. These meetings are highly confidential and access to them is strictly limited to two delegates per country. So why would we, who are representing Japan, have three available seats?"

Chief Yagami simply shook his head and crossed his arms. "I wasn't lying back at headquarters when I said your intellect was impressive, Mai. Your deduction just now of the seating arrangements leads me to believe that I've made the right choice letting you join today."

He smiled, turning to face her. "As for exactly how we were able to pull off getting three seats instead of the usual two, let me just say that some things are just better left unsaid."

Mai nodded, sitting back in her chair. That was incredibly vague and to the point. She frowned, biting her bottom lip gently, trying to come up with a solution as to why she would be allowed to attend this meeting.

Her intellect? Sure. She was never one to boast or brag, but she wouldn't deny that her mind was exceptionally bright.

Her age, maybe? It was true she was young and not every 18 year old girl had the opportunity that she did to intern at the NPA. It was possible she was able to tag along because of the experience she would gain.

Mai sighed, continuing to ponder the mystery of her eligibility. Her eyes wandered down a few rows, ear perking up slightly when she heard an argument escalading louder. Before she knew it, delegates from all corners of the room were shouting at one another, accusing each other of starting the Kira killings and insinuating other obviously false accusations.

Mai narrowed her eyes, resting her chin in her palm as she peered down at the bickering delegates. Maybe she was brought along simply to show these older men how to behave properly in public. From the look of it, they could sure as hell use a class or two on common mannerisms.

"Geez, listen to them argue," Matsuda said quietly, leaning back in his chair. Mai nodded, sighing again when the men began standing up and continuing to yell at each other, acting as if their standing would make their arguments that much more valid.

How juvenile.

It was one false accusation after another, and one man even dared to point a finger at the CIA or FBI as the culprit behind the Kira attacks. Mai, Matsuda and Chief Yagami all remained silent, waiting for something of actual importance to be said. However, at the rate the meeting was going, it was pretty unlikely that much of anything was going to be accomplished.

It was only when one of the delegates mentioned bringing on one of the world's greatest detectives, L, in that finally triggered Mai's interest. She sat up in her seat, posture perfect as she listened intently to the next wave of arguments, frowning when she heard the ridiculous banter.

"I've heard that this L character is extremely arrogant and only takes cases he's personally interested in," one of the delegates addressed, gaining positive responses from those sitting around him.

Another man piped up, standing to join in on the conversation. "Yes, that's right. And if even if we did want his help, we have no means of contacting him."

Matsuda looked to Chief Yagami, clearly confused. "Chief? Who is this L guy they're talking about?"

Mai rolled her eyes as the Chief began his brief but surprisingly accurate explanation. There wasn't much to know about L beside the fact the he was one of the world's greatest detectives, but she had to give Chief Yagami some credit. He seemed to know his stuff.

Now the real question was, would L actually come on board in this case? If that _were_ to actually happen, maybe there was a chance Mai could finally see him again. The possibility was highly unlikely, but she could always hope.

"L is already on the move."

All of the delegates suddenly fell silent and turned to face the center of the room. Mai gasped softy when she heard the voice, eyes snapping forward to see a completely disguised man standing in front of them all. She stared at him, mind racing as she struggled to comprehend the fact that, despite the heavy disguise which kept his real face hidden, the old man from her past was standing right in front of her. She was sure it was him.

_Watari…_

"L has begun investigating these incidents on his own, and would now like to address the delegates," Watari said, moving to open a laptop and turning it to face the agents. He pressed a button and a scripted "L" flashed onto the screen of the computer and onto the screen of the monitor that sat in the center of the room. After a moment of silence, an altered voice started to speak.

"Greetings to all of you at the ICPO. I am L. The difficulty in this case lies in its unprecedented scope, but make no mistake. What we're witnessing is an atrocious act of mass murder, one that is unforgivable."

Lacing her fingers, Mai folded her hands under her chin and listened carefully as what L had to say, the initial shock of seeing Watari causing her to stir anxiously in her seat. L's voice rang out into the room again as he continued on.

"This case cannot be solved without full cooperation of the ICPO. That is, all of the police organizations you represent throughout the world. You need to make the decision to fully support the investigation at this meeting."

Some of the delegates began mumbling to one another, clearly unsure of L's words as they rambled about whether or not to trust him. Mai narrowed her eyes at them. These people really didn't have any manners. The synthetically altered voice spoke up once again, sending the questioning delegates into silence once more.

"Also," L began, pausing for a moment. "I require additional cooperation from Japan's National Police Agency."

Chief Yagami stood up. "What?"

"Whether the guilty party is an individual or a group, there's a strong possibility that they're Japanese. And even if they're not, we can be sure they're hiding in Japan."

"What is all this based on?" Chief Yagami asked cautiously. Mai glanced up at the man before inclining her gaze back to the front of the room, just as curious as the rest of them.

"Why Japan, you ask? I think I'll be able to provide you with proof of that after I directly confront the culprit."

Mai raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms to her chest. "A direct confrontation?" she murmured quietly, wondering where L was going with this but doubting he'd provide a further explanation.

"At any rate, we'll set up headquarters in Japan."

Watari nodded as L concluded, moving to shut down the laptop and resume his position in the front of the room. He stood in silence, watching the delegates as they began their deliberation. To Watari's surprise, it didn't take them very long to agree to cooperate with L. He smiled, thanking them all before turning to leave and report back to the detective. On his way out, he cast a glance over his shoulder, letting his disguise hide his smile when he saw a familiar girl with long black hair speaking with the representatives of the NPA.

(*** *** ***)

At the hotel…

L sat on the floor of his room, knees pulled up to his chest protectively. He brought his thumb up to his lips, resting it gently against them as he thought about the ICPO meeting.

He had made contact with the delegates and explained the situation, offering a compromising solution. The ball was in their court now, and L anxiously awaited Watari's return to see if they agreed to work with him or not. There was a 95% chance that they would submit to him, more or less because the severity of the situation was so high, but the detective would not discard the remaining 5% that they might turn down his help.

Nibbling furiously on his thumb, L finally relaxed when he heard the door to his room open and close. Footsteps approached him quickly enough as Watari entered the dark room.

"Well?" he asked the old man in his usual monotone voice, not bothering to glance up but rather continued reading over the most recent news reports on his glowing computer screen.

"As you predicted, the delegates came to an agreement and will cooperate. You have the full support of the ICPO," Watari responded, removing his hat and trench coat.

L simply nodded. "Thank you, that will be all for now."

"Of course."

The old man draped his coat over his arm, turning to leave the detective to his thoughts. He paused upon reaching the door, glancing over his shoulder back at L.

"Oh, just one more thing," he said, his voice pulling L's attention away from his computer. L looked at him curiously, head tilted slightly to one side.

"Yes?"

Watari smiled. "I thought it might interest you that I saw an old friend at the meeting." L gave him a quizzical look.

"_Yes?_" he pressed further, irritated by the old man's vague choice of words. Watari only continued to smile, nodding his head as he turned around to leave, his back to the detective.

"Mai Takashi was there representing the NPA."

Before L had a chance to question him, Watari stepped through the door, pulling it gently closed behind him. The detective sat motionless, eyes fixed onto the spot where his mentor just stood and his brain jumping into overdrive to process the information the old man just revealed.

_Mai… was here?_

It certainly wasn't a surprising fact. L knew she had moved back to Japan three years ago, Watari himself made the arrangements for her return to her home country. However, three years since her departure from Wammy's would only make her 18 years old. She was 18 and already working directly with the police?

Impressive, L thought, smiling silently in the darkness of the room. His smile quickly turned into a frown though, when his thoughts directed him back to the fact as to why she was at the ICPO meeting. Her intelligence was far beyond that of most people he knew; it nearly matched his own in some cases. But even with that advantage, her age would surely restrict her from attending such a highly confidential meeting.

No, there was something he was missing.

The only other person beside himself that knew of Mai's return to Japan was Watari. L froze then, his mind coming to an abrupt conclusion as his thoughts swirled. He smirked, shaking his head. He knew Watari was clever but he never thought the old man would go as far as this.

That sly dog.

* * *

Wow. Longest chapter everrr.  
I seriously was only expecting this to be around 10 pages but my fingers just kept on typing!

I hope everyone liked this one. We're finally moving on with the story. :)  
L is in Japan, Light (although he has yet to make his appearance) is killing people, Matsuda is eating donuts and Watari is sneaking around trying to make everyone happy.

And how about that insanely long elevator ride?

Anyways. I wanted to address something before I update again.  
Not to be all nagging and whiney but if you read, I ask that you **please review.  
**  
I'm not going to just disappear and stop updating if I don't get reviews, but I will say reviews really are encouraging and make me write faster. Also, I get the impression that like no one is reading this when I don't get reviews. And that makes me sad. :(

But anyways. Thank you all and see you at the next update!


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